Sunday, November 27, 2016

My 100 Songs

My intent here is to make my personal version of Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time with the knowledge that there is really NO TOP 100 or 500 rock 'n roll songs, it's all individual preference. 

This first group of 100 will be the easiest because each song has a deep personal meaning to me. Many of these songs also have some long-term memory moment in time like listening to The Rolling Stones, (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction on my Sony transistor radio in 1965 on my front yard grass. 

Also, I have not rated my list, "Best 1-100" but in this series I will always start and end a set of 100 with my favorite band of all-time, The Beatles.

The first album that I ever owned, I actually stole, The Beatles ‎– A Hard Day's Night (Original Motion Picture Sound Track). It was taken by me from my grandfather's record collection that I found in his wooden console record player at his house. I believe my dad told me he belonged to the Columbia Record Club and must have gotten this one thrown in as a bonus because I knew he didn't listen to it. I guess I'm explaining my childhood rationalization for stealing this album and even now feel I took it more as a need than a want. And boy, what an album it was and still is. I'm listening to George Martin produce the boys and won't even know who he is until several years later!

Playing records was something my parents never really did at our house, so this record was my start and made me feel that I was part of something different from my parents point of view. I'm actually visiting the childhood house now on Tunnell St. (Santa Maria, CA) where I started to play my own 45's and albums, in my room. 

I lived in a home where rock 'n roll was not embraced. I vividly remember my parents and church friends, The Reyburns, over at our old house on Sunset St. on a memorable Sunday evening. The parents were putting down The Beatles during their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, as my brother, sister and I (along with the Reyburn children) were trying to tune the adults out and tune into the wonderful Beatles and their screaming fans on our black and white TV.

In 1967, my grandfather passed away and that wooden stereo console and his record collection, including Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra came to our house. I think like most American homes, the stereo console was off limits to the children, but we all sneaked our albums onto the best sound system in the house when our parents were gone.

At a certain point, my parents gave up and let us play our records on the console until the vacuum tubes got heated up and eventually were worn out by the early 70's. What a time, Buffalo Springfield on the stereo console and the Vietnam War live on the TV console. These two beasts of technology played across from each other in our converted garage to family room with our new indoor/outdoor blue/green carpet.

From junior high 1966, music was a big part of my friends lives and thus became a big part of my life. As I moved into high school and through college, there were the larger than life bands, the break-ups, the new bands, the new single artist's, all with the blending of acoustic, electric and American musical genres. 

From the car radios, the new portable stereo systems and the concert experiences, music was right there for all my friends and me. Today, we still never stop talking about all the music- old and new. Here in this playlist, you are going to hear mostly 60's and 70's songs that I bonded with and are a part of me today. I'm sure if you read my blog on a regular basis, there are more than a few songs here that have always stayed with you too.

 As I write this, it's starting to rain right now on the family room roof and that's a good memory too. The old forced-air heater has just whirled on and it's time for some Thanksgiving pie for breakfast. Take care my friends.

My 100 Songs
  1. Hard Days Night, The Beatles
  2. Penny Lane, The Beatles
  3. Sweet Baby James, James Taylor
  4. Like A Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan
  5. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones
  6. The Boys of Summer, Don Henley
  7. Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys
  8. The Water Is Wide, Karla Bonoff
  9. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Shawn Colvin
  10. Light My Fire, The Doors
  11. Both Sides Now, Joni Mitchell
  12. I Can See For Miles, The Who
  13. The Sounds Of Silence, Simon and Garfunkel
  14. I Should Have Known Better, The Beatles
  15. Doolin-Dalton / Desperado (Reprise), Eagles
  16. All Along The Watch Tower, Jimi Hendrix
  17. Ruby Tuesday, The Rolling Stones
  18. In My Room, The Beach Boys
  19. Rock & Roll Woman, Buffalo Springfield
  20. Bye Bye Love, The Everly Brothers
  21. Here, There and Everywhere, The Beatles
  22. Mary Jane's Last Dance, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
  23. Faithless Love, Linda Ronstandt
  24. Cinnamon Girl, Neil Young
  25. Lake Marie, John Prine
  26. It's Too Late, Carole King
  27. She Loves You, The Beatles
  28. Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival
  29. Sugar Mountain, Neil Young
  30. Cecilia, Simon and Garfunkel
  31. Levon, Elton John
  32. Nowhere Man, The Beatles
  33. Blowing In The Wind, Bob Dylan
  34. Street Fighting Man, The Rolling Stones
  35. Spare Me A Little Of Your Love, Fleetwood Mac
  36. Vincent, Don McLean
  37. Running Down A Dream, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
  38. Green Onions, Booker T. & The MG's
  39. Wooden Ships, Crosby, Stills & Nash
  40. Wake Up Everybody, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes
  41. Lovers Of The Sun, The Jayhawks
  42. Revolution, The Beatles
  43. Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Neil Young
  44. Fly Me To The Moon, Tony Bennett
  45. Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones
  46. Wichita Lineman, Glen Campbell
  47. I Want To Hold Your Hand, The Beatles
  48. Carry On, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
  49. On Step Up, Bruce Springsteen
  50. Crossroads, Cream
  51. Here Comes The Sun, The Beatles
  52. Learning To Fly, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
  53. Tell Me Why? Neil Young
  54. Ride My See-Saw, The Moody Blues
  55. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters, Elton John
  56. Instant Karma, John Lennon
  57. Eight Miles High, The Byrds
  58. American Tune, Paul Simon
  59. Ol' 55, The Eagles
  60. Bargain, The Who
  61. Blackbird, The Beatles
  62. Badge, Cream
  63. Harmony, Elton John
  64. Prisoner In Disguise, Linda Ronstadt
  65. Day Tripper, The Beatles
  66. Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness, John Prine
  67. Scarborough Fair/Canticle, Simon and Garfunkel
  68. Under Pressure, Queen and David Bowie
  69. If I Fell, The Beatles
  70. Sultans Of Swing, Dire Straits,
  71. Wandering, James Taylor
  72. The Late Show, Jackson Browne
  73. Let It Rain, Eric Clapton
  74. You Make Loving Fun, Fleetwood Mac
  75. My Back Pages, The Byrds
  76. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Marvin Gaye
  77. Lonesome Town, Ricky Nelson
  78. Ventura Highway, America
  79. To The Morning, Dan Fogelberg
  80. And Your Bird Can Sing, The Beatles
  81. A Song For You, Leon Russell
  82. Without You, Harry Nilsson
  83. Catch The Wind, Donovan
  84. Hello It's Me, Todd Rundgren
  85. Circus, Eric Clapton
  86. Cause We've Ended As Lovers, Jeff Beck
  87. Song For Juli, Jesse Colin Young
  88. Sunny Came Home, Shawn Colvin
  89. Mr. Blue Sky, Electric Light Orchestra
  90. Hello In There, John Prine
  91. I'll Be Back, The Beatles
  92. Sail Away, Randy Newman
  93. Silver Blue, J.D. Souther
  94. Eleanor Rigby, The Beatles
  95. Losing My Religion, REM
  96. The Heart of the Matter, Don Henley
  97. You Can Close Your Eyes, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell
  98. Monday Monday, The Mamas & The Papas
  99. All You Need is Love, The Beatles
  100. Satie: Gymnopedie No. 1, Christopher Parkening

My 100 Songs Playlist


Monday, November 07, 2016

1964, 2016 All the Way

So last Saturday night, I watched the HBO film, All The Way starring the brilliant Bryan Cranston as Lyndon Johnson. The film begins with the Kennedy assignation and Johnson becoming President. As he moves into 1964, Johnson is determined to pass Kennedy's Civil Rights Act and secure his re-election in 1964. I implore you to watch All The Way on HBO GO or DVR before the 2016 presidential election on Tuesday. I'd been meaning to watch it for weeks, but the timing couldn't be better as a must see just before the most important presidential election of our lifetime. Why? Because history is the friend that repeats itself. I couldn't help but transpose the events of 1964 and preventing black people from voting in the South with the current voter suppression tactics still happening in the South in 2016.

The film also breaks down presidential elections which Johnson emphatically describes as, "war." The Goldwater vs Johnson election had two very contrasting choices as the film shows maybe the most powerful political message ever shown on television with the little girl and nuclear bomb ad. As I watched the ad in the movie, I couldn't help but think of our current contrast of candidates between Trump and Clinton and people's fear of Trump's access to the nuclear codes.


So what has this to do with music? Well, there is a scene in the film where Lyndon's youngest daughter, Luci walks past her dad in a White House hall and he stops her with his aides in tow to ask her how she is doing. In the scene, Luci is holding the 1964 album, Meet The Beatles in her arms. Now that struck me how father and daughter are living in the same big house in two very different worlds. The Beatles have landed in America and America is erupting with racial inequality, demonstration and violence. Another scene also grabs me, this time with the Republican Senator, Everett Dirksen and Johnson cajoling him into an eventual compromise to support the 1964 Civil Rights Bill. I'm intrigued by this as our past political leaders demonstrate how real leaders worked together to try to solve our countries problems. Back in the day, Dirksen and Johnson and even Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill didn't have to like each other, but they knew they had to work together to accomplish anything meaningful. I have this hope that we can reclaim some of that old time statesmanship with our future leaders and continue to move our country forward. 

All the while, we have music to soothe our souls. Here's a little 1964/2016 playlist to start your Monday as maybe a little distraction with our very important Tuesday. Please vote. Take care my friends and soak in the sounds.